Efficacy Test on New Tx for Acne Scars

Combo of platelet-rich plasma and microneedling shows good response in split-face study

HealthDay News — Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) combined with microneedling is efficacious for the treatment of atrophic acne scars, according to a study published online January 8 in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology.

Mohd Asif, MD, from the National Institute of Medical Sciences in Jaipur, India, and colleagues examined the efficacy and safety of PRP combined with microneedling for treatment of atrophic acne scars. They enrolled 50 patients, aged 17 to 32 years, with atrophic acne scars. Microneedling was performed on both halves of the face; on the right half, intradermal injections and topical application of PRP was administered, while intradermal administration of distilled water was applied to the left half. Three treatments were given at one-month intervals.

The researchers found that the improvements in Goodman's Quantitative scale were 62.20 and 45.84% on the right and left halves, respectively. Excellent and good responses on Goodman's Quantitative scale were seen for 40 and 60 percent of patients, respectively, over the right half of the face, compared with 10 and 6 percent, respectively, over the left half of the face. In the left half of the face, three patients had poor response.

"We propose that PRP is efficacious in the management of atrophic acne scars," the authors write. "It can be combined with microneedling to enhance the final clinical outcomes in comparison with microneedling alone."